


Beautiful!

by orphan_account



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Flowers, Fluff, Language of Flowers, M/M, Mutual Pining, photographer soonyoung
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-05-26 19:36:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15007892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: It was nothing but cheesy. Soonyoung’s breath caught on his throat as the blowing autumn wind swept the guy’s pink hair. The yellow and orange leaves falling around the guy like snowfall. It was all in slow motion, and at that time, Soonyoung was sure he had found his perfect picture.Like, a literal picture.





	Beautiful!

His laugh. Soonyoung just can’t keep his eyes off the way the younger’s face lights up whenever he laugh. His eyes disappears into a thin slit, his lips split into an endearing smile, and the dimples on the corner of his lips will appear.

Much to everyone’s surprise, the younger’s laugh is crisp and loud in contrast to his usual quiet and focused self. The first time he heard the younger laughed, the rings of his laugh replayed on Soonyoung’s mind repeatedly. Every time their groups meet, the thing he is most looking forward to is the younger’s laughs, how to make the younger’s laugh.

“You’re so whipped,” Seungkwan had said when he caught Soonyoung’s staring at the younger’s rolling on the floor (literally) laughing on their meet up a few months back in Jeonghan’s apartment. He nearly choked on his spit at Seungkwan’s words. He turned his wide eyes to Seungkwan, which he only replied with his eye roll. “Don’t give me that look, you can never see anyone else if Jihoon-hyung is around,”

Soonyoung had only gaped at Seungkwan at that time. He never realized that he’d been staring that much. But, Jihoon is the definition of beauty. How can he ever look at anyone else?

The music major student is the most stunning thing he ever saw in his life. He first saw Jihoon during their university entrance exam. Soonyoung had been excited for his exam, he arrived like an hour earlier before the exam started. He was wandering around the university, taking pictures with his phone of the trees that had started its way to welcome winter.

Among the various shades of red, yellow, and orange, a bubble-gum pink colour popped out below a withering oak tree. Soonyoung squinted, upon walking closer and judging by his uniform, it seemed like he was also another student who arrived early like him. He was sitting leaning against the oak tree, on his lap laid a notebook into which he furiously scribed. His ears were stuffed with earphones. Body slightly swaying from whatever he was listening.

The boy was wearing a black scarf on top of his dark brown jacket, contrary to his pale white skin. A hint of pink was on his cheek and on top of his ears. Combining it with his pink hair, it was adorable. Soonyoung had walked a few steps closer when he stopped on his track.

It was nothing but cheesy. Soonyoung’s breath caught on his throat as the blowing autumn wind swept the guy’s pink hair. The yellow and orange leaves falling around the guy like snowfall. It was all in slow motion, and at that time, Soonyoung was sure he had found his perfect picture.

Like, a literal picture. He had snapped Jihoon’s picture with his phone and runaway as soon as he realized what a creep he was. Soonyoung was still shaking, breath ragged, and heart beat furiously against his chest when he entered his exam’s room. Once he calmed down, breath evened out, with a still thumping heart, he pulled out his phone. Browsing through his photo gallery and found the picture.

A very ethereal picture of the pink haired beauty showered with the autumn leaves. As impulsive as this picture taken, Soonyoung had to pat his back for how good the picture came out. Soonyoung still has the picture on his computer. It’s his treasure. Along with a hundred other pictures he has taken of the younger.

***

No, Soonyoung is not a creep. Sure, he was, the first time he took Jihoon’s picture. But, the other hundred pictures was taken with consent from the other (or at least Jihoon was aware that Soonyoung was taking his picture candidly).

After one year of that fated day, Soonyoung began his second year at the university’s department of art, majoring in photography. A year had passed without Soonyoung ever met the pink haired guy again. He didn’t even know if the guy passed the entrance exam or not. Soonyoung had hoped he would met the guy during the entrance ceremony. But, tough luck, Soonyoung couldn’t find the pink hair anywhere.

But that year, two months after the year officially started, he was blessed with a fateful meeting with two freshmen of the music department where his pink haired beauty was apparently majoring. Seungkwan and Seokmin were what you called two peas in a pod. They both are equally loud, extra, and extremely good at singing. They both entered the music department at the same time, though Seungkwan was a year younger than Seokmin. Seungkwan finished his high school early, which allowed him to enter the university at the same time with Seokmin.

They both were trying to enter the dance class where Soonyoung is part of when Soonyoung first met them. Though his dance class members were fine, Jun and Minghao just can’t keep their hands off of each other. Soonyoung had had enough being their third wheel all the time. Therefore, Soonyoung was glad he found partners in crime. They immediately clicked and there they started hanging out more.

Soonyoung then met Jeonghan, which, according to Seungkwan and Seokmin, was ‘collecting’ cute dongsaengs. He was in his senior year in the same music major. In no time, their circle of friends were getting closer. They had been hanging out a lot to drink or simply having a movie night at Jeonghan’s apartment when one day, that pink haired—no, or should he said blonde haired beauty?—graced his presence to Jeonghan’s apartment.

Soonyoung was gaping. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he first saw the guy. His hair was blonde back then. Soft looking hair strands fell on top of his forehead. His chin was tucked up on a warm chocolate scarf. He still looked as pale as he was a year ago. Soonyoung didn’t notice his height the first time he had seen him since he had been sitting down. But, at that moment, when the guy removed his scarf and jacket, leaving him in an oversized pastel green sweater and a skinny jeans, Soonyoung realized, the guy was probably only 5 – 5’5. So fucking adorable.

“Guys, this is Jihoonie,” Jeonghan attempted at hugging the smaller guy, but he ducked from Jeonghan’s reach and put a safe distance between them, earning him a pout from the older. “...and he doesn’t like to be hugged,”

“Jeonghan just doesn’t understand the concept of personal space,” Jihoon said, sitting on one of the free couch.

“It’s ‘hyung’ for you,” Jeonghan tsk-ed, mumbling about being unloved by his dongsaeng. Soonyoung still followed the blond with his eyes, not realizing that they were being introduced.

“And, this is our friends from dance class,” Seungkwan started introducing Jun and Minghao, and when it was his turn, “…and the one impersonating a fish now is Soonyoung-hyung,”

“Hi, Soonyoung,” Jihoon gave him an amused smile.

Soonyoung stuttered. He had a damn gorgeous smile. Jihoon chuckled. Crisp and clear. Was that a dimple? Soonyoung couldn’t be more charmed.

“Ni-nice to meet you, Lee Jihoon-ssi,” Soonyoung managed to say. Jihoon still had that amused smile on his face.

“Nice to meet you too. What’s with the formality?” Jihoon chuckled. That was the moment Soonyoung fell in love with the guy’s laugh.

“Yeah, you guys are second years,” Seokmin said.

“Yeah, I know,” Soonyoung mumbled. Jihoon raised his eyebrow at that. Soonyoung realized his slip-up. The others didn’t seem to notice what Soonyoung had said. Seokmin continued his introduction, “Soonyoung-hyung and Minghao are photography major. Jun-hyung is psychology major,”

Jihoon still watched Soonyoung curiously, while Soonyoung was squirming trying to get out of the younger scrutinizing gaze.

“Jihoon-hyung is also a music major, but he is aiming to be a composer,” Seungkwan said proudly. “You should listen to the song he composed, it sounds so good,”

At the praise, Jihoon’s pale skin lighted up. A shade of pink coloured his cheek. “Why did you sound like my mother?” Jihoon asked, clearly shy at the compliment. God, so adorable. Soonyoung bit the inside of his cheek.

“Because you are amazing!” Jeonghan joined the praising. “You should listen to what he composed for his final project last semester.”

“You really make a big deal out of it,” Jihoon was clearly embarrassed by the attention.

“Oh!” Jeonghan exclaimed, “I just remembered! I think I have the recording of what Jihoon did last semester!”

“WHAT?” Jihoon sat straight on his seat. “How?” he asked as he tried to stop Jeonghan from finding the recording on his iPad. Amidst the commotion, Soonyoung was in his own world, remembering the first time he saw Jihoon, furiously scribbling on a notebook.

“Ah, so you were writing lyrics,” Soonyoung said quietly. No one heard what he had said, except the blond haired guy. Soonyoung only realized he was saying it aloud when they locked eyes. His eyes widen. _Goddamnit, Kwon Soonyoung._ Soonyoung was berating himself for making two goddamn mistakes in the span of five minutes.

“HERE IT IS!” Jeonghan exclaimed distracting Jihoon from questioning Soonyoung’s weird answers.

“Jesus, hyung, can we not do this?” Jihoon was back to trying to stop Jeonghan from playing his song. Soonyoung released the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Jihoon attempt was futile though, for Jeonghan stood on his tiptoe, holding his iPad as far as his arm could go, out of Jihoon’s reach. Again, Soonyoung found himself cooing at how adorable the shorter was. He was laughing along with Seungkwan, Seokmin, Jun, and Minghao, watching Jeonghan and Jihoon struggled.

When Jeonghan played the song though, all of them instantly went quiet. It was a pop song. The beat was catchy, Soonyoung found himself tapping his feet along with the beat. What capture his attention more was the voice. It was Jihoon’s voice. The soft tone of his voice complimented the melody of the song nicely.

He found himself staring back at the blond haired guy who then had finally gave up and sat back down on the couch, hugging a pillow, trying to hide his face behind the fluffy material. _I’m waiting just for you…_

Soonyoung could feel his heart bursting. He only met the guy, but Soonyoung was already halfway falling.

***

After that first meeting, Soonyoung met Jihoon a few more times when the group hung out. The younger was sunshine. He mostly looked calm, only watching over them messing around. But when he laughed, Jihoon laughed so generously. Appreciatively laughing at whatever jokes Soonyoung threw to the conversation.

Another side that Soonyoung found during the few times they were hanging out was that Jihoon was a prankster. Combine him with Jeonghan, the whole group was a mess. He couldn’t count how many times he fell for their trap, resulting to 15 minutes of Jihoon and Jeonghan laughing their ass off at whatever mess Soonyoung was in. Not that Soonyoung mind. As long as he could see that beautiful smile bloomed on Jihoon’s face.

It was during the second semester of his second year that fate finally put them together. Soonyoung was taking English class this semester as one of his elective courses. On the first day of the class, he entered the classroom only to meet with a very familiar face.

“Oh!” Jihoon had said, a smile bloomed on his face. “You’re taking English this year too?” and Soonyoung chest felt it could explode from the possibility of seeing Jihoon twice a week that semester.

“Yeah,” Soonyoung breathed. Jihoon chuckled.

“Great! It’ll be fun! I’m glad I took English this semester,” Jihoon said. “Let’s find a seat,”

Soonyoung could only follow the shorter with giddy steps. In addition to having a class together, they sat together as well. Soonyoung thought he could fly.

They talked a lot after that. Meeting after classes. Saturday study date, discussing the English text they had for their assignment. Once a while, Soonyoung got the privilege to visit Jihoon’s studio as well, watching the younger worked on his songs, while Soonyoung pitching here and there about which part of his song would be an excellent track to dance to.

When the semester finished and they entered their third year of university, Soonyoung could meet Jihoon anytime, without having to wait for the next time their group to hang out. Soonyoung was half and a quarter there.

***

If Soonyoung thought that Jihoon couldn’t be any more beautiful than this, Soonyoung thought wrong.

On the beginning of their third year, Soonyoung and Jihoon has maintained a regular schedule of meeting on Wednesday after Soonyoung part time job in a photo studio. Either to have dinner or simply hang out to watch Netflix in Jihoon’s or Soonyoung’s apartment.

Jeonghan had gushed about how close they were lately even though Jihoon met the music major members first. He was pouting while ranting to Soonyoung that he also wanted to have a regular meeting with Jihoon and his other dongsaengs. Soonyoung could only blushed at the elder’s accusation.

“It’s not like we planned it.” Soonyoung had said.

It was true. During the semester they took English class together, they somehow met almost every Wednesday after class to discuss about what they studied that day. Jihoon was interested on how the English words could improve his lyrics, on how he could use the knowledge to incorporate more varieties of English words on his songs. While Soonyoung was just happy to be the one Jihoon decided to discuss it with.

The meeting kept going on, even after they completed their English class. Jihoon would just text him, asking if he had anything that day, and Soonyoung would squeal, eagerly replying he didn’t have any plan, and they would meet to talk about what they have been doing the past days they didn’t meet.

Soonyoung was grateful Jihoon texted him first, because he didn’t know if he had the guts to text the younger to meet. After that first text, Soonyoung didn’t hesitate any longer on asking Jihoon to hang out.

That Wednesday was no different. They had agreed to meet at the usual diner. Jihoon had said he was craving for some fries and who was Soonyoung to deny him. Soonyoung was half running to the diner, realizing that he was almost 10 minutes late. The photo session took longer than he was expected, so instead clocking out at the usual 5.30, he was held back until 6.

Soonyoung checked his watch and sighed as he saw the long hand already strike 10 minutes. He was in front of one of the diner windows and checked his reflection when he gaped at the smirking guy behind the window.

It was Jihoon. But with a black hair. A jet-black hair.

He could only stand there, looking at the way the black hair framed Jihoon’s pale face. His eyes scrunched up, the corner of his lips tugged up, pushing the dimples on the corner of his lips. He was leaning against the palm of his hand, watching Soonyoung gaping at him with a very amused smile.

Jihoon’s lips moved as he mouthed some words for Soonyoung, “I’m hungry,” and that snapped Soonyoung out of his trance. He quickly went inside the diner and sat down in front of the now black haired Jihoon.

“You looked surprised,” Jihoon chuckled at the way Soonyoung gawked at him.

“You dyed your hair,” Soonyoung managed to say.

“Well, thank you, Mr. Obvious,” Jihoon rolled his eyes. “Does it look weird?” he asked nervously.

“No!” Soonyoung quickly said. “It looks good. It suits you.” Soonyoung continued, marvelling at the way Jihoon suddenly looked down to hide his flushing cheek.

“I’m hungry,” Jihoon didn’t say anything to Soonyoung’s compliment. But, by the way he was avoiding Soonyoung’s gaze, the remaining shade of pink on the tip of his ears, Soonyoung understood that Jihoon was shy. Jihoon was never good with compliment.

Soonyoung smiled. “Let’s order, then. Sorry for making you wait,” he said, “The shoot took longer than usual,”

Jihoon finally returned his stare back. “It’s fine. It’s only 10 minutes. I usually make you wait longer,” he said flipping the menu on their table.

“Not that I mind, I wanted to see you,” Soonyoung said as he too reached for their menu. He missed the way Jihoon eyes stayed on him for a second longer. When Soonyoung looked up, Jihoon had already looked back down at their menu, the corner of his lips tugged up again.

***

That black hair is beautiful on Jihoon, Soonyoung has realized after the three months the shorter sporting that black hair. His hair also has gotten longer. Making the younger grows a habit of running his fingers through his bangs to push it back. And Soonyoung always finds himself staring at him hypnotized by the way the dark locks fall back to Jihoon’s forehead.

“Soonyoung-hyung!” someone shakes his shoulder snapping Soonyoung mind back to the present. “Do you even listen to what I asked?” Minghao crosses his arms, his bottom lip juts out in a pout.

“Eh? What did you say? Sorry, I was—“

“Staring at Jihoon-hyung, I know,” Minghao huffs. Soonyoung stutters. Face lighting up, Soonyoung looks around to check if the other hears what Minghao said. After Seungkwan, now it’s Minghao. What’s with these ungrateful intuitive brats?

“You’ve been giving him heart eyes ever since we were introduced at Jeonghan-hyung’s place,” Minghao answers the question Soonyoung wanted to ask before he can say it. Soonyoung groans. Does this mean everybody knows?

“Seriously, though, hyung,” Minghao gives him a judging look, “It’s been a year, are you going to keep pining him? It’s about time you up your game,”

Soonyoung worries his lips. “It’s been 2 years,” he whispers as he looks over where Jihoon is talking with Jeonghan, Seokmin, and Seungkwan. Minghao tilts his head.

“What?”

He looks back to Minghao, staring at him with a longing look on his face, “I’ve been pining him since two years ago,”

“Who’s pining on who?” Seungkwan joins the conversation and Soonyoung can only whimper.

***

After that, Soonyoung is forced to admit his first time seeing Jihoon. Minghao and Seungkwan are enraptured over how Jihoon looked with pink hair.

“Oh my God, Jihoon-hyung! I heard he was sporting pink hair during high school, but I never thought it was out of this world!” Seungkwan squeals.

“Holy shit, this is so cute, how can you still be alive?” Minghao says when he sees the picture.

“I know, I also wondered,” Soonyoung sighs. Minghao pats his back. He is commenting about how nice the composition of the picture. The colour was really pretty and it was taken beautifully.

“Really, hyung, you might be a genius.” Minghao still wonders at how good the picture is, “Considering you were being a creep and only using a phone camera at that,”

Soonyoung groans. Minghao has been rubbing it on his face for a few hours after he told him that he took Jihoon’s picture without his permission.

“I know, will you please stop saying I’m a creep?” Soonyoung shoves the younger off the couch with his feet. Minghao chuckles.

“So after that, you were looking for him during entrance ceremony?” Seungkwan inquires. Soonyoung nods. “But you couldn’t find any guy with pink hair?” Soonyoung nods again.

“Have you even thought that he might change his hair colour?” he asked in incredulous tone. Soonyoung sobs.

“I only realized it could happen when we met again in Jeonghan’s apartment,”

Minghao and Seungkwan exchange eye rolls. Soonyoung is hopeless.

“The fact that you still keep his picture even after only seeing him once means that you’re whipped from the very start,” Minghao says.

“Uh, in my defense, the picture is pretty, I can’t just delete it!” Seungkwan throws him a look.

“Yeah, yeah, or so you said,” Minghao rolls his eyes.

“So the most important thing that we have to talk about,” Seungkwan starts, “…is how do you feel about him now?”

“Not that it’s not obvious, we want to hear you say it,” Minghao adds. Soonyoung looks at the expectant look his friends gave him.

“I like him?” Soonyoung says, earning him a disgusted look from the other two by the questioning tone he emits. “Like, I like spending time with him, he makes me happy just by seeing him happy. I want to be the one who makes him happy?”

“So damn whipped,”

“Helplessly whipped,”

Soonyoung groans at his friends’ response. “I thought you want me to tell you how I feel. Why do I feel attacked instead?”

“We’re only stating the truth,” Seungkwan smirks.

“So, what’s your plan?” Minghao crosses his arms.

“I don’t know. What should I do?” Soonyoung asks pitifully.

***

Soonyoung thinks this is stupid. Who brings flower for a friendly dinner?

But, Minghao and Seungkwan were quick to refute when he voiced his concern, “It is _not_ friendly. That’s the point. You need to show him that you think of him as more than a friend,”

So here he is, waiting on their usual table for dinner with a bouquet of yellow daffodils in his hand. Glancing at his watch, he notes it is only a few seconds to seven, their agreed time to meet today. Wiping the excess sweat on his palm, Soonyoung nervously picks on the ribbon tying the bouquet together. What if Jihoon dislike the flowers? What if Jihoon doesn’t want to meet him anymore because he doesn’t like Soonyoung that way? What if he destroys their friendship with this bouquet?

Soonyoung is so full of worries that he is halfway to getting rid of the bouquet when a soft “Hey,” reaches his ear. Jihoon sits down in front of him, flashing him a beautiful smile. The lighting of the dinner makes Jihoon’s skin looks as if it is glowing. Jihoon is wearing a pastel blue sweater, his dark hair softly falls against his forehead. His dimples are showing as his lips curl in an upward bow. Jihoon looks so beautiful.

Looking at the sight in front of him, Soonyoung thinks that Jihoon deserves the flowers. Any thought about what if it destroyed their relationship is quickly thrown out of the window. Without any more delay, Soonyoung shoves the flower to Jihoon’s hands.

“For you,” Soonyoung quickly says. Jihoon looks surprised to see a bouquet shoved into his hands. He looks back and forth to the bouquet and then to Soonyoung as he grasps the flowers.

“What’s the occasion?” Jihoon asks, confused. Soonyoung is watching how well the colour matches Jihoon’s attire.

“Do you like it?” Soonyoung questions him back instead of answering. Jihoon looks dumbfounded as he stares at the flowers.

“I—,” Jihoon visibly gulps, before he raises his face and looks back to Soonyoung. He might have been imagining it, but Jihoon is slightly flushing. Soonyoung is so giddy as he waits for Jihoon to gather his words. But, Jihoon, still with a blush on his cheeks (Soonyoung swears he is not imagining it), only replies with a simple, “Yes.”

***

Turns out, Minghao and Seungkwan’s idea to give Jihoon flowers is a great idea after all. To be rewarded with a smile, a cute blush, and a shy ‘thank you’ every time he brings flowers to meet with the younger is definitely worth it. Not to mention the pictures he is allowed to take as Jihoon hides his reddening face behind the flowers are gems.

Minghao and Seungkwan were also ecstatic to hear that Jihoon is responding positively to the flowers. Soonyoung swore them both to secrecy, not to spill anything to Jihoon or anyone (because god knows what would happen if Jeonghan knows). That’s why this time, as Soonyoung sits on the park bench waiting for Jihoon on a sunny day, fingers fidgeting with his phone, he hopes his dongsaengs’ intuition is correct this time as well.

He almost thought Jihoon would ditch him for asking him out this early when he saw the younger walks towards him wearing a black baseball cap to shade himself from the bright light. Soonyoung lightly laughs at how much clothing Jihoon is wearing to hide from the sun.

Apart from the baseball cap, Jihoon is also wearing a dark blue parka, hood pulled up above his baseball cap. His hands tucked inside his parka pockets, his feet are clad in denim jogger pants and his favourite sneakers.

When Jihoon spots him, the younger rushes his steps and flops down beside Soonyoung on the park bench. “It’s so bright,” Jihoon huffs, squinting his eyes as he looks around the park.

Soonyoung laughs, “You need to go out more often, you’re too pale,” he says, shoving an iced Americano into the younger’s hands, the bribe he promised the younger when he agreed to meet him.

“I go out just fine. It’s just not during this time of the day,” Jihoon receives the beverage with a raised eyebrow, “No flowers today?”

Soonyoung fights back the nervousness bubbling in his stomach. “Were you expecting one?”

Jihoon is quiet for a second before saying a soft, “Kind of,” while taking a sip of his drink. His face is hidden by his hoodie, so Soonyoung cannot really see his face, but call him delusional, Jihoon sounds a bit disappointed.

Soonyoung doesn’t let his feeling overwhelms him. He is a man on a mission, so he clears his throat and grabs Jihoon’s free hand. “OK, now since you have your iced Americano, let’s go.”

Jihoon looks surprised for a second before Soonyoung purposefully pulls the younger up to follow him. Soonyoung ignores the butterflies in his stomach for holding Jihoon’s hands. He is just happy that Jihoon didn’t pull his hand away.

“Where are we going?” Jihoon asks after they walked for a while. Soonyoung, who is currently fighting the urge to swing their linked hands, quickly snapped out of his thought.

“Um, you’ll see,” he says, as Jihoon squints his eyes in suspicion at him. Soonyoung only chuckles nervously.

Soonyoung was worried about this whole ordeal since forever. From asking Jihoon to go out on a broad daylight (when usually the younger only moves from his bed after the sun inclined west) to holding his hand on the way, and the surprise. Soonyoung is glad Jihoon is still following his whim without questioning him about everything.

As they turn on one corner, Soonyoung drags Jihoon into one of the shop lining the busy road. While Soonyoung fumbling with the door key, Jihoon looks at the shopfront and reads the shop name. “Isn’t this your workplace?”

Unlocking the door, Soonyoung turns around, “You remember?”

“Um, yeah, it’s not every day you heard a studio called Shoot Me.” Jihoon follows Soonyoung inside as the older walks around the shop turning on the lights.

Soonyoung laughs, “Yeah. I told Jisoo-hyung the same thing. He said his grandparents named it Shoot Me because people would want to be ‘shoot’ when they visit the studio.”

Soonyoung opens one door leading to a studio where he usually takes the customer pictures. He has his back facing Jihoon and turns around when Jihoon approaches him after removing his cap. He has his nervous smile on. Fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, not exactly looking at Jihoon.

“I want to show you something,” Soonyoung says. His heart hammering on his chest. Jihoon quietly waits until Soonyoung steps back from blocking the door, allowing him to open the door to see for himself what Soonyoung wants to show him.

The room is lit with small bulbs of lights decorating the walls, raining the room with soft warm colour. Jihoon turns around to look back at Soonyoung who still looks at him nervously. Not receiving any further instruction, he looks back to the room where he notice pictures are plastered on the wall, starting from his left, which to his surprise, is a picture of himself taken just a few days ago holding a red carnations bouquet.

Again, Jihoon looks back to Soonyoung who just bites his lip nervously, giving him a silent nod to go on. Jihoon turns his head, looking at some pictures he notices were from the time they were hanging out with their friends in the park just a few weeks ago. Soonyoung managed to capture Jihoon in the best way possible. Jihoon is tracing the pictures with his fingers. Looking so fondly at their friends’ laugh and expression.

The next picture is him holding a gerbera daisies bouquet, taken a week ago after Jihoon finished performing his final project piece for composition class. Soonyoung had stopped by after the class was over to give him the flowers. However, seeing the next pictures, Jihoon is surprised to realize that Soonyoung probably watched his performance.

“You were there?” Jihoon asks Soonyoung, face flaming realizing that someone who wasn’t in his class watched him sang. Soonyoung gives him a sheepish smile.

“I sneaked in when Prof. Kim wasn’t looking,”

“Obviously,” Jihoon lightly punches his arm before turning back to the pictures. Soonyoung watches as the corner of Jihoon’s lips curl up as he studies each picture. The next picture is a picture of his where he hid his face behind the sunflowers bouquet. Soonyoung’s second favourite one, because Jihoon was really embarrassed when this picture was taken. Soonyoung had been complimenting him a lot about how pretty Jihoon looked as the warm sunset colours fall upon his skin and the sunflowers really complemented Jihoon’s features in the picture.

More pictures followed. Jihoon has just realized that Soonyoung probably took so many of his pictures. He glances at the older who followed his steps lightly, watching his expression as he looks at the picture. The next picture is a picture of him holding a red chrysanthemum bouquet. Taken after Soonyoung’s birthday a few weeks ago. Instead of surprising the older, Jihoon got surprised back with a bouquet of flower after their celebration dinner with their friends. Soonyoung asked him to wait until all their friends went home before pulling the flowers out for Jihoon.

The pictures following it were the pictures from the birthday party. Soonyoung was in the pictures this time because the one taking the pictures was probably Minghao. Jihoon traces the pictures with his fingers again, noticing a pattern. In some pictures, Soonyoung was looking at him while Jihoon was laughing or doing something else with the others. While on other pictures, it was Jihoon who was looking at Soonyoung while he laughed or did something else with the others.

Soonyoung watches Jihoon’s cheeks reddens as he looks at more pictures. “God, what is this,” he hears the younger mumbles. Soonyoung is sure Jihoon won’t look at him after this since he is probably embarrassed that he was caught on camera staring at Soonyoung. Jihoon arrives at the picture of him with the daffodil flowers. The first flower bouquet he ever received from Soonyoung.

The following pictures are their pictures staring at the camera. Their smiles etched on their faces so brightly. Soonyoung starts feeling his heartbeat spikes again. Jihoon looks so fond at the pictures, he traces Soonyoung’s faces, his plump cheeks, his sculpted jaw, his wide smile and Soonyoung has never seen something more beautiful on the younger’s face.

When Jihoon arrives at the last photo, Soonyoung holds his breath. His favourite. Jihoon is stuck on his step as he studies the picture. It is him. There is no mistaking it that it is him. But, with pink hair, under an oak tree during one autumn day, red and yellow leaves fall upon him like a warm showers. The thing is he was never sporting pink hair again after he started university.

He turns to Soonyoung only to be surprised with a bouquet of red roses.

“I was wondering when the red roses would appear,” Jihoon says looking half-amused despite his surprised state.

“Save the most cliché for the last,” Soonyoung only smiles sheepishly offering the roses to Jihoon who takes it gratefully, “Now, let me talk, because I’m dying a little more inside the more I watch you raise your eyebrows,”

Jihoon chuckles as he clutches the flowers closer to his chest. Soonyoung takes a deep breath before gazing at the other in front of him with determination.

“I first saw you on our entrance exams 2 years ago, under an oak tree listening to something from your earphone while you were scribbling furiously on your notebook,” Soonyoung starts, keeping his eyes on Jihoon’s expression. “It was autumn, and I was taking pictures around the campus because the leaves are so pretty,”

“But then, I saw you. Pink hairs framing your face, leaves falling down on you, and you were swaying with the music you were listening,”

“I never thought I’d seen something so beautiful in my life, so I decided to be a creep and snap a picture of you,” he gestures to the picture beside him. Soonyoung notices how the colour of the roses seems to be seeping into Jihoon’s skin.

“And I never once regretted it,” Jihoon kicks his sin at his words hiding his embarrassed face behind the flowers (again) and Soonyoung only grimaces and continues, “I was stupid, when I got accepted, I was looking for pink hairs around the campus. But I never met him again.”

“I changed my hair colour right before the university started,” Jihoon rolls his eyes.

“Obviously my one celled brain didn’t think of that, so I was really surprised when you appeared in Jeonghan’s apartment,”

“Hence the fish,” Jihoon chuckles, remembering their first proper meeting.

“Hence the fish,” Soonyoung reiterates. “I was happy to find you, I was happy just to be able to spend some times with you.”

“But, after all the times we spend together, I started to realize how amazing you are as a person. I experience firsthand how beautiful your smile is, how pleasant it was to hear your laugh, how I wish I was the one to always making you smile and laugh.” Soonyoung takes a step towards the smaller. Jihoon has his eyes locked to Soonyoung’s, his eyes are warm but searching.

“So, a few weeks ago with some pushing from some pushy friends,” Jihoon’s lips twitch as he heard this, “I started giving you these flowers because they think you need to see me as more than a friend,”

Soonyoung reaches for Jihoon hands, which are still clutching the bouquet, covering it with his own larger hands. Soonyoung’s palms are sweaty, but he wants these words out, he could care less about Jihoon’s opinion on his sweaty hands, “ _I want you_ to see me as more than a friend,” he slowly says.

“I would understand if you don’t see me that way. I really would. Because, to be honest, being your friend, being able to be beside you even if it was only as a friend, is plenty fulfilling for me,” Soonyoung continues, for the first time his eyes shaking. Sure, he said all that, but his heart ached at the possibility. “I—,” Soonyoung takes a shaky breath, lowering his eyes, because suddenly his heart can’t bear the pain, “Just give me some times to recover and I will be okay,”

When he looks back up, Jihoon is scowling. Soonyoung feels the corner of his lips drop.

“You’re done?” Jihoon asks since Soonyoung can’t find any words and only stares at him.

“Okay, my turn,” Jihoon says. The younger takes a deep breath and sigh. “If you haven’t notice, you’re the only person who’s able to make me take a step outside on such a sunny day,”

Soonyoung releases the breath he doesn’t even know he was holding and Jihoon expression softens at the sight. “These pictures speak a thousand words about what I feel about you.” Jihoon looks back at the pictures. “I don’t even realize I was that obvious, god, I want to rip those pictures, it’s so embarrassing,” Soonyoung tightens his grip on Jihoon’s hands because he won’t allow it. Jihoon looks back to him, a smile ghosting his feature.

“Also, I have more than one brain cell, thank God, so I kinda get what you wanted to tell me since you give me the daffodils.” He says, still amused at the fact that Soonyoung never thought about him changing his hair colour. Jihoon is wearing a warm smile on his face as he peers up to Soonyoung, watching the older digests his words.

Soonyoung takes another brave step, slipping his right hand along the smaller’s waist, earning him a surprised yelp as he pulled Jihoon closer towards him. “So, I believe you know what I’m trying to say?” He whispers close to the younger’s earlobe.

Jihoon smiles wider in an attempt to tease the older. He slides his hands along Soonyoung’s shoulder, clasping his fingers behind Soonyoung’s nape and resting the bouquet behind his head. They are so close now, chest almost touching with each other, Soonyoung watches Jihoon’s lips part, “I still want to hear it from you, though?”

Soonyoung rests his forehead against Jihoon. Their breaths mingle with each other. Soonyoung can almost taste the other lips on his, “I love you, Jihoon,”

And Jihoon smiles, a soft “I love you too,” whispered against his lips and Soonyoung feels Jihoon lips against his.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this before Pinwheel and as usual, stuck without finishing it. But, thank God, my brain works again. So here it is.  
> Thank you for dropping by and spending your time reading this. I love you <3
> 
> PS: the comments are so nice, I'm so happy <3 thank you everyone for leaving kudos and comments!!


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